Hilyard

10-408

Wooden handrails, multipaned windows and a stone veneer chimney give this home the look of a welcoming country home plan. Inside, its four large gathering spaces flow together to create an expansive venue for socializing with family and friends. From the kitchen sink you can keep tabs on everything.

The Hilyard's multipaned windows, nostalgic wooden handrails, and stone veneer chimney put the viewer in mind of a welcoming country farmhouse.

This rambling, two-story plan is great for family gatherings. It has four large, interconnected gathering spaces: parlor, dining room, kitchen/nook, and family room. The roomy owners' suite and a large utility/mud room are also on the main floor. A convenient powder room is just inside the entry.

A ramp leads up to the covered porch, offering easy access for wheelchairs. Inside the two-story entry, natural light washes in through sidelights and a bank of windows on the second level. Double doors on the right open into a parlor with a masonry fireplace and built-in wood box.

An arched opening in the parlor leads into the dining room, which links with the kitchen via a pocket door. The kitchen can also be reached by walking straight through the entry, past the stairs, and into the generously glassed, vaulted family room. A long, flush, conversation bar marks the boundary.

From the kitchen sink, you can keep tabs on activities in the family room, or turn slightly to take in the nook and deck. A central work island expands counter and storage capacity. Skylights and a wide window bay let in plenty of natural light. Families and plants flourish in this bright space.

A relaxed sitting area expands the Hilyard's owners' suite, which boasts a roomy walk-in closet, large screened porch, and dual vanity, plus a separately enclosed shower and toilet. Upstairs, a balcony overlooks the family room. One large bedroom and bath are on one side; two more rooms and another bath are on the other.